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Welcome to e-Connections, the weekly AFS email newsletter. In this July 1, 2008, edition:

Executive Conference Focuses On Energy, Raw Materials
The 2008 Foundry Executive Conference will be held September 21-23 at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino, Incline Village, Nev. This annual summit of industry leadership will feature presentations on:

  • Slimming Down with Lean Manufacturing, Chip Long, World Class Consulting Group;
  • U.S. Scrap & Alloy Markets: A Status Report for Metalcasters, Jason Redden, Omnisource Corp.;
  • U.S. Coke Market: A Status Report for Metalcasters, Robert Bloom, Tonawanda Coke Corp.
  • Going Green in Metalcasting, Jim Schifo, Keramida Environmental, Inc.

The special events at this conference include golf and tennis tournaments and a three-hour Lake Tahoe Cruise aboard the Tahoe Queen.

For more information, or to register, contact AFS customer service at 800/537-4237. To view a brochure, visit www.afsinc.org/events.

Lieberman/Warner Bill Debated in June
On June 6, the Boxer/Lieberman/Warner climate change bill was pulled from the Senate floor after three full days of vigorous debate, and two important procedural votes. By all indications, the bill will not see further action this Congress. 

The following highlights punctuated the debate on the bill:

  • On June 2, 74 Senators voted to proceed to debate the merits of the $6.6 trillion bill. Opponents focused on the economic impact on consumers. On June 6, only 48 Senators voted to end debate and move forward. 
  • In the House, Reps. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) introduced the “Climate Market, Auction, Trust & Trade Emissions Reduction System Act,” or the “Climate MATTERS Act” (H.R. 6316). The bill, which attracted 79 co-sponsors, calls for an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2050.  Initially, 85 percent of emission allowances would be auctioned; by 2020, all allowances would have to be purchased at auction. The House Ways and Means Committee is planning to hold a hearing on the bill before the August recess.
  • The House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality also held two hearings on climate change. The first focused on an overview and discussion of the five most recently-introduced climate change bills, and the second focused on the “costs of inaction.”  While no climate change legislation has come out of the House Energy & Commerce Committee to date, Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) last week said, “We are going to move forward as fast as we can in drafting cap-and-trade legislation.”

For more information, contact Alicia Oman, AFS Washington Office, at aoman@afsinc.org or 202-842-4864.

2008 Survey of Wages and Economic Benefits Available
AFS announces the release of the 2008 Wage and Benefit Survey. The survey of metalcasting facilities in the U.S. and Canada reports on wage rates for 28 hourly job classifications, and covers 29 labor market areas in the U.S. and Canada. National reports are given based on the type of metal poured: iron, steel, nonferrous or multi-metal. Breakdowns are given by size (number of employees) and by union or union-free. Results for wages are reported in cents per hour. The report is available in both .pdf and print formats.

For more information, contact AFS customer service, at 800/537-4237. To purchase the print version of this survey click here. To purchase the .pdf version, click here.

CMI Offers Metallurgy of Aluminum Casting Alloys Course
CMI will be offering a Metallurgy of Aluminum Casting Alloys course August 26-27 at AFS/CMI Headquarters, Schaumburg, Ill. This is a practical course in aluminum metallurgy for the producers and users of aluminum alloy castings. The classification of aluminum alloys is presented, along with solidification and phase diagrams, melting practice and interpretation of microstructures. The latest technology in alloy treatment, mechanical testing, heat treatment and quality control will be discussed.